


July Twenty Third

by oceansgrey



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Sasuke's sad on his birthday, Team as Family, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, birthday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-16 18:07:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19937002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceansgrey/pseuds/oceansgrey
Summary: July Twenty Third.The date hadn’t meant much to Sasuke in over ten years. Not since the massacre.What was the point of celebrating a birthday anyway if you had no one to celebrate it with, and it only brought back sore memories of time spent with loved ones now no longer there?Sasuke wakes up alone on his birthday.





	July Twenty Third

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a birthday fic for Sasuke, the baby.  
> Enjoy!

July Twenty Third.

The date hadn’t meant much to Sasuke in over ten years. Not since the massacre.

What was the point of celebrating a birthday anyway if you had no one to celebrate it with, and it only brought back sore memories of time spent with loved ones now no longer there?

Sasuke woke up alone, Naruto’s side of the bed cold. He slept in again, the sun now high in the sky.

He just wanted to burrow back underneath the blankets, to sleep the day away. It didn’t matter that he was growing older. Twenty was a useless age, anyway. He didn’t care for gambling, which he legally could do now since Kakashi raised the legal limit. He could smoke, but smoking reminded him of his time with the snake Sannin, the way Orochimaru would blow sickly sweet smoke into his face from time to time.

Twenty was just another year closer to him dying, anyway.

As much as Sasuke wanted to sleep in bed forever, it was too hot to do so. Naruto forgot to get his air conditioner fixed and a heatwave was rolling through Konoha mercilessly. It was a bit cooler today than it was the past few days, but hot enough that being under blankets felt too much.

Swinging his legs to the side, Sasuke stretched before forcing himself out of bed. His eyes darted to the nightstand, noticing a lack of a note.

Naruto had begun a little habit of leaving good morning notes for Sasuke on days he slept in, sappy little scribbles proclaiming his love. Sasuke told Naruto he threw them away, but it wouldn’t hurt his boyfriend if he didn’t know that Sasuke had started keeping them all tucked safely in a book on the bookshelf Naruto never read from.

“Naruto?” Sasuke called out, getting off the bed and padding through the apartment to the kitchen. The space was empty, so Naruto must have gone out to train or do something important for Kakashi. It was still so strange, how his former sensei was now the Hokage.

Sasuke opened the fridge, grimacing as his stomach protested any food.

Coffee it was.

As he waited for the coffee pot to brew, he leaned back against the counter and closed his eyes. Kakashi was busy being Hokage, which meant that Yamato was with him. Sai was probably teaching his art class by now at the Academy. Sakura was probably working, but she wouldn’t say no to going out to a café for coffee. Karin was probably either at the hospital with her, or she was holed up in the Hokage’s library, sifting through old Uzumaki texts. Jugo and Suigetsu were probably just lounging about, training. He could spend the day with them.

Sasuke poured his coffee into a mug, walking back to the bedroom where he kept his spare clothes for when he slept over at Naruto’s instead of the apartment he shared with Taka. He dressed for the day, slipping on his sandals before making sure he shut the door to the apartment behind him.

Time to seek out the few people he could call friends.

The hospital was busy as usual, nurses bustling to and from, patients groaning and griping. Sasuke barely got halfway through the ER before he spotted Sakura directing her staff, allocating medics to certain wings.

“I need you in the maternity ward, Aburame is in labor and eight centimeters. You, go help out Shizune with the Sarutobi in Wing-”

Sasuke watched her in her element, the once nervous and fretting girl he was put on a team with now a confident leader, the best in her field. He smiled as he took a sip of his now cooled coffee, proud of the progress she had made.

If it hadn’t been for Sakura, the world would have been destroyed. She was just as important during the war as Naruto had been. Sasuke felt like he had barely done anything other than cause more problems while Naruto and Sakura were the real heroes.

“Hey, Sakura,” he called out, offering her a small wave.

“Sasuke?” Sakura raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing here? Are you sick?”

“No, just wanted to come see you,” he shrugged.

“Well, I’m busy,” she looked down at the clipboard in hand. “I only have a few minutes, and-”

Her pager on her hip went off, and Sakura looked down at it.

“I’m needed for emergency surgery. I’ll see you later, Sasuke,” she rambled, already heading off in the direction for the operating room. “Bye,”

“Bye,” Sasuke said, more to himself as he watched Sakura rush off.

The library in the Hokage’s tower was originally Tobirama Senju’s laboratory where he conducted jutsu experiments. Sasuke felt a shiver down his spine as he crossed the threshold into the room, a frown on his face. He hated the man, having the displeasure of knowing him from the war, but from his obvious distaste at his bloodline, he could tell he never would have liked the man even if he wasn’t an Uchiha.

Now, the room was housed with bookshelves upon bookshelves stacked with scrolls and tomes of Konoha’s history. Itachi once broke into the library when he was six to get more books to read because he had already read all the history books in Konoha’s public library. Sasuke was too little to remember, but he remembered that his father loved to tease Itachi about it years later.

The memory brought a bittersweet smile to his face as he traversed past the bookshelves until he found the redhead he was looking for.

“Go away, Sasuke,” Karin said, not bothering to turn around when she could easily sense him coming. “I’m busy,”

“Nice to see you, too, Karin,” Sasuke said, coming to stand behind her. She was seated on the floor, scrolls rolled out in a semicircle in front of her. “What’re you doing?”

“I’m almost done researching the Uzumaki chain sealing jutsu,” she said. “Now go bother someone else. I’m really close,”

“You’re in a fantastic mood today,”

“I haven’t slept in forty hours,” Karin looked up at him, deep dark circles under her eyes. Now that she mentioned it, he noticed all the empty paper coffee and tea cups littering the floor around her area by her notes. “And after I finish this jutsu and perfect it, then I’ll sleep. Until then, go bother the boys,”

“Fine,”

“Bye,”

Sasuke walked into his apartment he shared with Taka, noticing the lack of Jugo. He usually was outside on the balcony, tending to the birds that came to and from the bird feeders he had set up. Suigetsu was loudly singing out of tune in the kitchen, cooking fish from the smell that filled the whole apartment.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Suigetsu teased, turning his head to peer behind his shoulder. “Want some, Sasuke?”

“No, I’m good,”

“How was your date with Naruto last night?”

“It wasn’t a date,” Sasuke grumbled, sitting down at the table.

“Oh, it was just you two hanging out and then a bit of kissing too, right?” Suigetsu prodded further, plating his fish and moving to sit across from Sasuke.

“Where’s Jugo?”

“Dunno. He left early this morning. Four eyes still holed up in the library?”

“Yeah,”

“Maybe she’ll die from a heart attack from all the coffee she’s drinking,”

“Be nice to Karin,”

“She’s not even here!”

Sasuke rolled his eyes, watching Suigetsu eat his food. He felt too upset over today to want to eat.

“What’s the plan for today, oh fearless leader?” Suigetsu said.

“Nothing in particular,” Sasuke treaded lightly. “Do you know what day it is?”

“Uh,” Suigetsu turned to see the calendar on the fridge. “Friday,”

Oh.

“Thanks,” Sasuke stood up from the table. “I’m going out for a walk. I’ll be home later,”

“Not sleeping over your boyfriend’s tonight?”

“No, I miss my bed,” Sasuke headed to the front door. “See you later?”

“Later, Sasuke,”

_“Sasuke, wake up,”_

_Sasuke blinked his eyes tiredly, his mother’s face the first thing he saw._

_“Happy birthday, sweetie,” she said, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You’re seven already!”_

_“Thank you, Mom,” Sasuke said, smiling. “Is Itachi home?”_

_“He’s still out on his mission, but he’s coming home later tonight,” she rubbed his back in small circles. “I cooked breakfast. Get ready and come eat, okay?”_

_“Yes, Mom,”_

_She pressed one more kiss to his face before leaving the room, Sasuke nearly throwing his blanket off to get ready for the day. Itachi was coming home today, just in time for his birthday, and he was so excited he put his shirt on backwards the first try._

The Academy was in it’s summer session, mainly allowing for the children to practice a little bit of training while still giving them some extra curriculars that they could enjoy.

“Nice going, Aiko,” Sai said, smiling down at a little girl as he viewed her painting. “The color palette is amazing,”

Sasuke wanted to scoff. Sai critiqued children’s art like an actual critic would a master artist’s.

“Everyone, keep working on your paintings. I’ll be right back,” Sai said, wiping his hand on his smock to get rid of the ink on the side of his hand as he walked over. “Hello, Sasuke. How are you doing today?”

“I’m fine, Sai,” Sasuke looked at the fifteen children all circled around, little eyes looking at him. “Have you seen Naruto today?”

“No, I haven’t seen your small dicked boyfriend today,” Sai said quietly so the children wouldn’t hear him. “Why, did he run off and do something stupid to overcompensate?”

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“No, I just wanted to know if you’d seen him,”

“No, I haven’t,” Sai said. “Do you want to paint?”

“Not particularly. I’m not artistic,”

“Your Sharingan is pretty artsy, and the Rinnegan is an interesting hue of-”

“My eyes are not art,” Sasuke snapped.

Sai shrugged, turning back to his students. He walked back to the front, drawing a few tame beasts for his jutsu to awe his gaggle of children. Sasuke turned, figuring it might be better to talk to Kakashi.

“Oi, Kakashi,” Sasuke said, nudging past the ANBU guards and into the Hokage’s office. “Where’s Naruto?”

“Maa, no hello to your dear old sensei?” Kakashi asked, leaning back in his office chair. “My, what a rude little student I have. You break my poor old heart,”

Yamato snorted a laugh, not looking up from the stack of papers in his hand.

“Naruto was sent on a month long mission today,” he supplied. “He didn’t tell you?”

“No,” Sasuke said, raising an eyebrow. Something that long and important Naruto would have filled him in on. “Where to?”

“Classified,” Kakashi said. “Sorry,”

“That’s bullshit and you know it,”

“It is, but you’re being mean and I don’t want to tell you,” Kakashi shrugged. Shikamaru groaned from his seat, leaning back in his chair and puffing away at his cigarette.

“Naruto didn’t want to tell you because you’d try to get on the mission, too,” Shikamaru said. “Enjoy the month without him screaming about ramen every two hours,”

“Fine,” Sasuke said, looking back at Kakashi. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Don’t you have something to tell me today?”

Kakashi looked pensive, before shaking his head.

“No, not really. Why, what’s today?”

“You were just toting about being my teacher and you forgot my birthday?”

“Oh, that’s today? I completely forgot,”

Sasuke huffed, turning on his heel and storming out of the Hokage’s office.

Sasuke really didn’t want to be here, but here he was.

“Hi, Sasuke!” Ino waved, coming out from behind the counter. “What’re you doing here? Buying flowers for a special someone, like an orange loudmouth?”

The look in her eye was too knowing, the smirk too teasing.

“I need flowers for,” Sasuke suddenly found himself feeling too embarrassed to ask. “I need flowers, like a bouquet,”

“I can help you with that,” she said. “What message are you trying to convey?”

Sasuke knew a bit about flower language from hearing Sakura drone on about it back in their genin days, and then some from his time with Orochimaru.

“I need chrysanthemums, some gladioli and some pink carnations,” he said. “And, can it be in two small ones?”

Ino gave him a sad smile, nodding.

“Sure. Give me a few minutes and I’ll get them for you,”

Ino wandered off into the back of the store, leaving Sasuke alone and surrounded by containers and shelves upon floral arrangements. She came back a minute later, a black floral bucket with the requested flowers nestled in as she began to pull dried and dead leaves before worrying about arrangements.

Wrapped neatly in crimson and navy paper, Sasuke left the shop and headed to the one place he had been avoiding for years, way before moving back to Konoha with his team.

The path was still the same, nothing much changed despite the large addition of tombstones due to the war. Thankfully, there was no one in the cemetery in the middle of the afternoon, most people opting to relax in the shade on a nice summer day like today.

Sasuke bit his lip nervously as he walked over to the plot, navigating based on memories from thirteen years prior, hands shaking as they gripped the bouquets tightly. The groundskeeper had made sure everything was perfect for those who wished to visit and pay their respects, but it still ached to see so many stones marked with the Uchiha crest.

He knelt down before the two stones, the names making his heart pound hard against his ribcage. He pressed a hand to the one on his right, wishing he could put both hands on both stones. His thumb brushed against the carved name of his father, a sad smile on his face.

“Hi, Mom and Dad,” he said, laying the bouquets on their tombstones. “I know it’s stupid to talk to your tombstones, since you’re not here to listen, but…”

He swallowed the lump in his throat.

“I saw everything, because of Itachi, and the Sharingan he gave me,” he said, closing his eyes as he felt the familiar burn of tears. “I’m not mad at you both, or him, really. I’m mad at the village. I wanted to destroy this place, to see it burn to the ground, but I know you all loved it so much. I just…”

Sasuke tried to prevent the sob that crept up, bringing his hand up to wipe at the tears that seemed to flow nonstop.

“I really miss you both,” he said, sniffling. “I have friends who remind me of you, and they’re my family now, but I miss you both so much,”

Sasuke let himself cry, the pain he had kept bottled up since coming home finally erupting.

“I’m sorry,” he cried. “I wanted so badly to get revenge, to become the avenger Itachi wanted me to be, but-”

He cut himself off with another sob, memories of his parents flashing into his mind from accidentally activating the Sharingan.

His mother brushing his hair behind his ear, giving him a soft smile as she calmed the anxiety in him, the fear that his father hated him.

The proud look on his father’s face when he finally mastered the Fireball jutsu.

Itachi playing hide and seek with shadow clones, laughing as Sasuke pouted.

His father taking him outside to train, watching him as he practiced throwing kunai.

Itachi, holding him close and telling him that he would love him always, the Edo Tensei releasing.

His mother holding him close when he was small, the loud thunder scaring him awake and having him run for comfort in his parent’s bed, his father wrapping an arm around him protectively while his mother sang him to sleep.

His parent’s last words to Itachi, courtesy of the Sharingan’s impeccable memory recollection, the pain unbearable.

Sasuke left the cemetery drained of any energy he had for the day, sniffling from the aftermath of letting his emotions lose. He just wanted to go home, take a hot bath, curl up on the couch with Jugo and Suigetsu while they watched TV and fall asleep after Karin got home and finally ate something of sustenance, showered and was tucked into bed. At least then he would know his team was safe and sound within the confines of their abode. Maybe he’d have better luck tomorrow getting Team Seven together to spend a little bit of time together.

He sighed, heading up the road that led to his apartment. It had been a shitty birthday so far, and he was just ready for the day to be over and done with.

Walking up to the building, he noticed the lights were off in their apartment. Maybe Suigetsu and Jugo went out to go get Karin, or they all went to dinner without him.

Whatever, Sasuke would just go to bed.

Sasuke climbed up the stairs to their apartment, feeling off. Getting the emotions he had about his family off his chest, crying his heart out at his parents’ graves had put him in an odd mood.

Turning the knob to the door, he realized the door was unlocked. That was odd, since they all locked the door behind them whenever they were the last to leave the house.

The front room was dark, and Sasuke fumbled with his hand to try to find the light switch on the wall.

The moment he flicked on the lights, he was greeted with a chorus of shouting friends.

“Happy birthday, Sasuke!” they all shouted, and he was pretty sure Suigetsu blew on a party noisemaker.

“What?” Sasuke looked, a bit shocked. Karin and Sakura were there, and it looked like Karin actually showered and got some sleep. Jugo was standing behind Kakashi, who looked ridiculous in a stupid party hat. Sai had made the banner that hung in the hallway, Yamato having helped put it up with a bit of his wood style. Suigetsu was next to Naruto, who was beaming like the sun.

“Happy birthday, Sasuke,” Naruto said, walking to his stunned soulmate, pulling him close.

“Kakashi said you were on a mission,” Sasuke said, the first coherent thought that came to mind.

“Well, we may have made that up,” Kakashi said. “We needed you away from the apartment so Suigetsu and Naruto could decorate,”

“You were here?” Sasuke asked.

“Yeah, I was hiding in your closet,” Naruto said. “I was hoping you wouldn’t come in so the surprise wouldn’t be ruined, ya know?”

“Naruto, you idiot,”

“C’mon, Sakura made onigiri, Sasuke style,” Naruto teased, pressing a quick kiss to Sasuke’s lips. “I bet you didn’t eat anything today, and you must be starving,”

“I made takoyaki, too,” Karin said. “Jugo made the cake!”

“I got to decorate, so you’ve gotta see it,” Suigetsu said, coming over to pull Sasuke from Naruto and pull him into a hug. Karin and Jugo joined in, Team Taka together.

“Happy birthday, Sasuke,” Jugo said, squeezing him tightly.

Once freed from his group hug, Sasuke went over and hugged Sakura, her grip tight.

“Sorry for ignoring you today,” she said. “We wanted to make it a surprise,”

“It definitely is,” he admitted, pressing his face into her shoulder before he could cry again, feeling overwhelmed by the love his team, his family gave him.

Sai gave him an intricate card he had drawn himself, Team Seven united and holding hands together. Yamato gave him a warm hug, his team captain apologizing for keeping him out of the surprise.

“C’mon, let’s eat,” Naruto said. “I’m starving, ya know,”

“You’re always hungry,” Karin teased, rolling her eyes at her cousin.

“Yeah, but birthday boy gets first picks!”

_“It’s my birthday!” Sasuke jumped into the kitchen excitedly, smiling up at his father._

_“Another year already? You’re going to be as tall as your brother by next year,” he laughed, giving Sasuke a small smile. “Happy birthday, Sasuke,”_

_The front door to their home slid open, the telltale signs of armor being set aside carefully and the familiar tread of footsteps coming closer to the kitchen._

_“Good morning,” Itachi said, coming into the kitchen._

_“Itachi!” Sasuke ran, jumping to give him a hug. “You’re home!”_

_“Happy birthday, Sasuke,” Itachi said, smiling down at him as he knelt to give him a tight hug. “I’m home all day today, so we can train together,”_

_“Really?” Sasuke asked, watching Itachi nod._

_“Boys, breakfast is getting cold,” his mother chided lightly. “Welcome home, Itachi,”_

_“Welcome home,”_

“See, I frosted it with Jugo’s permission,” Suigetsu said, holding the cake out for Sasuke to see. “It’s you!”

Sasuke tried to hold back his laughter, looking at the atrocious design. Suigetsu had frosted fat globs of red frosting to make tomatoes around the edge of the cake, his messy scrawl saying, ‘happy birthday Sasuke,’ barely legible. Suigetsu also took some colored frosting and made a poor drawing of Sasuke, with a purple and red eye and a deep frown, hair crazy. He even made a little Aoda and Geruda to top it off, a little Uchiha fan in the corner of the cake.

“Well?” Suigetsu asked.

“Tell him the truth, Sasuke,” Karin said, sitting down at the table. “He should stick to swords,”

“No, I’d make an amazing professional cake froster. Ain’t that right, Sasuke?”

Sasuke looked to Jugo, who was smiling wide. He shook his head, unable to contain his laughter any longer.

“I love it,” he admitted, shaking his head.

“I think it needs a bit of improvement,” Sai said, giving Suigetsu a mischievous smirk.

“Don’t you dare,” Sakura warned.

“No dicks on the cake. Hokage decree,” Kakashi said, and Sai pouted.

Sakura handed Sasuke a plate of onigiri, which he noted was his favorite type. He took a bite, savoring how she had perfected his favorite recipe. It was so good, Sasuke sighing in content as he chewed. Naruto put a hand on the small of his back, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Dinner went by quickly as everyone dug into the food, Kakashi messing around with the cake as they all relaxed. Yamato got the lights as Kakashi lit the candles, and Sasuke rolled his eyes as everyone began to sing.

“Make a wish,” Naruto teased, nudging Sasuke with his elbow.

Sasuke looked around the table, at his found family.

He had everything he really wanted now in front of him, but he blew out the candle regardless.

“Perfect,” Sai said, setting to cut pieces.

“Let Sasuke get the piece with his face!” Suigetsu said.

“I call Geruda,” Kakashi said.

“Can I get Aoda?” Sakura asked.

“Let the birthday boy get his piece first, ya know,” Naruto teased, handing Sasuke his slice of cake. Sasuke didn’t notice Jugo holding a camera, aiming it to take a picture.

“Picture with the birthday boy?” Karin asked, placing a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder, Suigetsu at his other side.

“Sure,” he rolled his eyes. Suigetsu and Karin each placed a hand on his back, kneeling down to be more level with him as Jugo took the picture. As soon as the shutter clicked, Suigetsu shot a look to Karin and they both pushed Sasuke forward, his face hitting into his cake. Jugo snapped a picture of Sasuke picking his head up, frosting on his nose and chin, all members of Taka laughing hysterically.

“I kind of deserved that one for trusting you two so easily,” Sasuke admitted, taking a napkin to wipe the frosting from his face. “Jerks,”

“We love you, Sasuke,” Suigetsu teased, pinching his cheek.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy their antics. It was his team, he chose them, and he didn’t mind dealing with the consequences. It had given him a family.

The night wound down, everyone eventually falling asleep. Karin was curled up in her large chair with Sakura, the two snoring softly. Kakashi and Yamato were asleep on the couch, leaning against one another. Jugo was asleep in bed, Suigetsu passed out at the table, leftover cake beside him.

“I’m glad I got to spend the day with you, ya know?” Naruto said, leaning on the railing of Sasuke’s balcony. “Every year you were gone, I would be so sad on your birthday,”

“Why?” Sasuke asked.

“I missed you. I loved you and I wanted to take your sadness from you, and make you smile,”

Sasuke gave Naruto a smile, leaning in close.

“I think it worked,”

Naruto wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling Sasuke close.

“Marry me,” he said, voice wavering a bit.

Sasuke looked at Naruto’s face, illuminated by the light of the waning moon. He felt complete, calm and safe.

“Maybe,” Sasuke said, his hand coming to cup Naruto’s face. “I love you,”

Naruto closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to Sasuke’s.

“Promise me,” Naruto said once they pulled away, his hand coming to lace his fingers with Sasuke’s. “Promise me that we’ll get married,”

Sasuke let out a chuckle.

“I’m serious, ya know,” Naruto said. “I got permission, so it’s done properly,”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

“From who? Don’t tell me it was Obi-”

“No,” Naruto shook his head. “Right before Itachi went to go find you during the war, he entrusted you to me, and I asked him then,”

Sasuke looked at Naruto, the way the moon shone in his eyes.

“Sasuke Uchiha, will you marry me?” Naruto asked again, eyes welling with tears.

Sasuke nodded, smiling as Naruto pulled him in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I just want Sasuke to be happy.  
> The flowers (can you tell I'm a florist?) used in the small bouquets Sasuke has Ino make for his parents graves have meanings! Gladioli symbolizes strength and moral integrity (a total Uchiha trait), Chrysanthemums are symbolic of death, and pink carnations is for remembrance. I totally cried like a baby writing the scene where he talks to his parents at their graves.  
> Thank you so much for reading! Please comment and let me know how you enjoyed it! Feedback is always appreciated! :)


End file.
